|
SEMINOLE COUNTY
GOVERNMENT
Media Contact
County Manager's Office
1101 East First Street
Sanford, FL 32771
Phone: (407) 665-7212
Fax: (407) 665-7958
|
|
NEWS RELEASE
Get Your Child's Safety Seat Inspected During Safe Kids Week
Posted on: 9/8/2009
Sept. 8, 2009-Sanford, Fla. - Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 6 and 8 to 14. In 2007, 6,532 passenger vehicle occupants 14 and younger were involved in fatal crashes. That's why Safe Kids Seminole County is urging all parents and caregivers to attend a Car Seat Check Up Event as part of the National Child Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 12-18).
Apopka will have certified technicians available to provide on-site child safety seat inspections and education from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. on Sept. 14 at KinderCare, 625 Executive Park Court, Apopka, Fl.
Sanford will have certified technicians available to provide on-site child safety seat inspections and education from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. on Sept. 15 at the Sanford Fire Department, Station 32, 300 E. Airport Blvd, Sanford, Fl.
Winter Springs will have certified technicians available to provide on-site child safety seat inspections and education from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. on Sept. 17 at the Seminole County Fire Department, Station 24, 102 Moss Rd N., Winter Springs, Fl.
Oviedo will have certified technicians available to provide on-site child safety seat inspections and education from 10 a.m. - 2p.m., on September 18, at the Oviedo Marketplace, 1700 Oviedo Marketplace Blvd, Oviedo, Fl.
In 2007, among children under 5, an estimated 358 lives were saved from the use of child safety seats and booster seats. If all children under the age of 5 were restrained, an additional 71 children would have been saved.
For maximum child passenger safety parents and caregivers should refer to the following four Steps for Kids guidelines for determining which restraint system is best suited to protect children based on age and size:
1.For the best possible protection, keep infants in the back seat, in rear-facing child safety seats, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat. At a minimum, keep infants rear-facing until at least age 1 and at least 20 pounds.
2. When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at least age 1 and at least 20 pounds), they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).
3. Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds), they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when they are 4'9" tall).
4. When children outgrow their booster seats, (usually at age 8 or when they are 4'9" tall), they can use the adult seat belts in the back seat if they fit properly (lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest).
Remember: All children younger than 13 should ride in the back seat.
The Seminole County Fire Department serves as the local lead agency for Safe Kids, under the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners. Safe Kids is a worldwide non-profit agency whose mission is to prevent the leading causes of injury, in children, who are under the age of 14. For additional information please visit www.seminolesafekids.org and www.safekids.org.
###
|
Top of Page - 
Email
this Page to a Friend ]
Translation Disclaimer - Dutch -
French -
German -
Italian -
Norwegian -
Portuguese -
Spanish
